P300 event-related potentials in patients with multiple sclerosis

Abstract Background Cognitive impairment (CI) is a common and disabling symptom during the disease even in the earliest “preclinical” phase of patients with MS (pwMS). This study aims to assess cognitive function by measuring P300 event-related potential (ERP) and to look into the relationship between P300 abnormalities with the severity of the physical disability, education level, and disease duration. Methods Fifty pwMS (28 females and 22 males) aged 20–54 years and fifty healthy subjects comprised of 21 females and 29 males aged 18–50 years serves as the control group was studied. All participants underwent medical history, neurological examination, cognitive functions using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale (MoCA) and the P300 ERP. Results In this study, 48% of pwMS had CI. They had a longer P300 latency and a lower amplitude. Those with impaired cognition had a longer duration of illness and higher Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), whereas those with intact cognition had a higher education level. P300 latency was correlated positively with EDSS and disease duration, but negatively with education level. P300 amplitude was found to be negatively correlated with EDSS, and disease duration but positively to the education level. Conclusions P300, as a non-invasive test, would support the presence of CI in pwMS patients and could be used for screening in daily practice. P300 has a strong relationship with illness duration, disease subtypes, EDSS, and education level